I just about fell over out of my chair this morning with laughter about the state of the economy (yes, only i find this stuff funny...) when i saw an advertisement from Circuit City for 36 months of no interest on TV purchases.
That's THREE years of no interest!
The American consumer is being subsidized (i.e. cheap credit and tax refunds of $600) to buy just as farmers or the sugar industry are subsidized. [I always heard (whether true or not) that farmers were subsidized to grow or not grow certain crops.]
WE, the consumers of America, are living in a golden age of free stuff my friends...so buy like there's no tomorrow...run, don't walk to you nearest Best Buy, Circuit City and other purveyors of hi-tech junk!
I suggest you maximize the use of 'consumer subsidies' for wealth generation and lifestyle enhancement...and why not...the world is counting on you! It is essentially your role...your job...in this global economy to consume.
Just be prepared for the fallout...and then you can sit back, relax and watch the whole thing play out on your interest-free credit purchased HDTV...
Jan 27, 2008
Jan 12, 2008
bigger body
In high school i was on the swim team and weighted 185 lbs. For the past 10 years i've been trying to lose weight and become a lightweight. Always counting calories. Always trying to run.
I think body physiques are just as trendy as hem lines, and I was caught in the body type hype. "Thin is in", as opposed to the bulking up body building physiques that were more en vogue when I was in high school.
I've recently, however, been doing at least 100 push ups a day along with dips and pull ups. I've notice my muscle mass increasing. It feels good. The feeling of 'Feeling more solid'. I've been running but only about 15 minutes a day along with a little biking to and from work. I've also noticed my weight stabilizing without me having to count calories!
So i've realized the natural trajectory of my body is to put on muscle rather than lose fat. I've been struggling against my body's natural inclination for the past 10 years...it's amazing, how hard it is to change our perception on something once we get an idea in our heads.
And now i have the idea in my head to get a cheap weight bench on craigslist...i'm excited to get bigger...
I think body physiques are just as trendy as hem lines, and I was caught in the body type hype. "Thin is in", as opposed to the bulking up body building physiques that were more en vogue when I was in high school.
I've recently, however, been doing at least 100 push ups a day along with dips and pull ups. I've notice my muscle mass increasing. It feels good. The feeling of 'Feeling more solid'. I've been running but only about 15 minutes a day along with a little biking to and from work. I've also noticed my weight stabilizing without me having to count calories!
So i've realized the natural trajectory of my body is to put on muscle rather than lose fat. I've been struggling against my body's natural inclination for the past 10 years...it's amazing, how hard it is to change our perception on something once we get an idea in our heads.
And now i have the idea in my head to get a cheap weight bench on craigslist...i'm excited to get bigger...
Jan 5, 2008
defensible position
i have had a lot of thoughts about what to break my 'radio silence' with, but i suppose preparing for the coming recessionary storm (which is very timely given we are experiencing some pretty intense weather storms as well) is the most important...this article is a good place to start.
Dec 17, 2007
Dec 16, 2007
"okay Santa...what i want for Christmas is...well let me just show you...
I was just reading in the NY Times that a fashion executive was traveling in Morocco and gave a street beggar a crumpled up $1.00 bill. She looked at the crushed piece of paper, threw it back at the American exclaiming, "What is this? This is worth nothing!"
If that doesn't say buy gold I don't know what does!
Nov 28, 2007
a look back at the evolution of dance
I just read in businessweek about a move toward professionally produced videos for the internet now. Which is a move away from the amateur based productions. Which goes hand in hand with my latest behavior which has been watching the show 'lost'. We've been renting it on netlfix but the newest episode does not come out on DVD until Dec 11. It is available for free, however, on ABC. So it seems content owners will be putting forth their own content without the need for special distributors...it's great...the internet really has shaken things up...
but the article talked about a great video which was popular about a year ago. I never saw it...yes, i'm slow...if haven't seen it yet...check it out:
but the article talked about a great video which was popular about a year ago. I never saw it...yes, i'm slow...if haven't seen it yet...check it out:
Nov 25, 2007
quick oats
I remember about 10 years ago trying to find 'steel cut oats' and having a really difficult time doing so. At the time, the product seemed like an exotic relic from days long gone...like a cotton gin...or a dial up computer...
But I just had breakfast and ate steel cut oats produced by the cereal Goliath 'quaker oats'. It seems a concern about being left behind in the steel cut oats market pushed the company to start offering the product. I bought it at Target.
I often blame corporations for creating the society that we currently live it. But perhaps they are just giving us what we want?
Or at least what we think we want...
But I just had breakfast and ate steel cut oats produced by the cereal Goliath 'quaker oats'. It seems a concern about being left behind in the steel cut oats market pushed the company to start offering the product. I bought it at Target.
I often blame corporations for creating the society that we currently live it. But perhaps they are just giving us what we want?
Or at least what we think we want...
Nov 18, 2007
warning: falling dollars ahead
Are you concerned about the falling dollar? Does it mean anything to you and me?
It does if prices have to get jacked up in order for companies to keep up with the declining value of the American currency. This is if inflation takes hold. We have not seen this hit us yet, because the fall in the dollar has been so swift.
For instance, take note of how the pricing difference on book covers regarding the Canadian dollar and the US dollar. Even though the Canadian dollar, or loonie, has achieved parity with the dollar these book covers have maintained the same pricing structure, which must be based on historical values. If the difference in currency pricing exists for a while, I suppose it's a matter of time before the methods used to determine these pricing structures catch up.
so is the falling dollar a concern to you and me? In this case, you just have to tell by the books cover...at least its price...
It does if prices have to get jacked up in order for companies to keep up with the declining value of the American currency. This is if inflation takes hold. We have not seen this hit us yet, because the fall in the dollar has been so swift.
For instance, take note of how the pricing difference on book covers regarding the Canadian dollar and the US dollar. Even though the Canadian dollar, or loonie, has achieved parity with the dollar these book covers have maintained the same pricing structure, which must be based on historical values. If the difference in currency pricing exists for a while, I suppose it's a matter of time before the methods used to determine these pricing structures catch up.
so is the falling dollar a concern to you and me? In this case, you just have to tell by the books cover...at least its price...
Nov 14, 2007
biPolar Barely
remember just about every child on the swing set 10 years ago had attention deficit disorder?
Apparently, now the mental illness de jur is bipolar disorder. And bipolar has more pricey drugs...
Mental illness works great for goosing profits for drug companies...and it keeps people thinking there is something wrong with them if they don't 'fit' the social mold...so it keeps people in line as well...
It's funny, because evolution works when it throws out concepts and ideas that fall outside of what everybody is...when it tries out new ideas...some work...some don't...
mental illness is one of those attempts by nature to force us to evolve...it's trying new things...and we label it as 'wrong' or 'incorrect' when in actuality, it's nature working...
Apparently, now the mental illness de jur is bipolar disorder. And bipolar has more pricey drugs...
Mental illness works great for goosing profits for drug companies...and it keeps people thinking there is something wrong with them if they don't 'fit' the social mold...so it keeps people in line as well...
It's funny, because evolution works when it throws out concepts and ideas that fall outside of what everybody is...when it tries out new ideas...some work...some don't...
mental illness is one of those attempts by nature to force us to evolve...it's trying new things...and we label it as 'wrong' or 'incorrect' when in actuality, it's nature working...
Nov 11, 2007
eatwatch online
a great application gets better...eatwatch is online now!
http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/online/hdo.html
http://www.fourmilab.ch/hackdiet/online/hdo.html
Nov 6, 2007
rummaging through the attic
I am reposting old posts I took off line because it thought I was going 'in a new direction'...
New direction?
I've heard that life is lived forwards, but understood backwards. So i'm rereading old posts to understand my backwards life...
I don't see any reason why you shouldn't look backwards with me...
it's fun...
New direction?
I've heard that life is lived forwards, but understood backwards. So i'm rereading old posts to understand my backwards life...
I don't see any reason why you shouldn't look backwards with me...
it's fun...
Nov 5, 2007
whacked...
well it was more...thudded...
i was biking from work to the train station and got 'thudded' by a car...at least it was a low emission vehicle...a prius...
i was just thinking how lucky i've been to have not been hit in almost 10 months of biking in the city...so now i'm a little more experienced and I have to find out what do do when hit next time...there's just so many cars in such a small space it's a given it'll happen again...
but's it reminded me of how much i think cars are over used today...
the most stressful thing about the incident was another motorist yelling at me that i was the one at fault...i'm actually not sure who was at fault, but it was a good lesson that i need to learn what my rights are as a bicyclist in the city...
i'd love to live in a car free community, but i don't think any exist..
but i'll be looking...so the worst that could happen would be to get thudded by a golf cart maybe...or a kid on a big wheel....
OUCH!
i was biking from work to the train station and got 'thudded' by a car...at least it was a low emission vehicle...a prius...
i was just thinking how lucky i've been to have not been hit in almost 10 months of biking in the city...so now i'm a little more experienced and I have to find out what do do when hit next time...there's just so many cars in such a small space it's a given it'll happen again...
but's it reminded me of how much i think cars are over used today...
the most stressful thing about the incident was another motorist yelling at me that i was the one at fault...i'm actually not sure who was at fault, but it was a good lesson that i need to learn what my rights are as a bicyclist in the city...
i'd love to live in a car free community, but i don't think any exist..
but i'll be looking...so the worst that could happen would be to get thudded by a golf cart maybe...or a kid on a big wheel....
OUCH!
Nov 3, 2007
are you golden?
this news is just going to spike gold up even more...crazy...like gold needs any more support...
gold will correct back to a stable price i would say of 550 or 600/ounce...i think the stable baseline price of gold will be higher than the historical one...
why is gold going up? I think because people's values and what they value are in question...interesting...
gold will correct back to a stable price i would say of 550 or 600/ounce...i think the stable baseline price of gold will be higher than the historical one...
why is gold going up? I think because people's values and what they value are in question...interesting...
Oct 27, 2007
value squeeze
another 'cheap' fortune cookie post:
if we are lucky, we get to find out what we value. we are very fortunate, if we find a life that allows us to live by those values. That is where we find harmony...or harmoney...or cheapony...
he who's values get squeezed, that is he who lives in an environment where his values get pressured or challenged, will forever be miserable.
within a relationship, fights usually erupt when these value disconnects are working themselves out. in time, harmony or a stable situation in which both people's sets of values can coexist will evolve if both people in the relationship express what they value. problems arise, when one person suppresses expression of values...
if we are lucky, we get to find out what we value. we are very fortunate, if we find a life that allows us to live by those values. That is where we find harmony...or harmoney...or cheapony...
he who's values get squeezed, that is he who lives in an environment where his values get pressured or challenged, will forever be miserable.
within a relationship, fights usually erupt when these value disconnects are working themselves out. in time, harmony or a stable situation in which both people's sets of values can coexist will evolve if both people in the relationship express what they value. problems arise, when one person suppresses expression of values...
Oct 17, 2007
Dharma and a sense of humor
I love the quote from the Dalai Lama regarding China's outrage regarding his meeting with the President of the US, "That always happens."
"Stand-up Dharma"
"Stand-up Dharma"
lawrence of arabia
I watched "Lawrence of Arabia" last night and it is a great film. It explains a little bit about why Turkey is interested in attacking Iraq in the current news and the history of The Ottoman Empire. The film touched on the intricacies of the life and personality of T.E. Lawrence...and hinted there is much more to his story...
Oct 16, 2007
fortune cookie post
due to lack of time...the fortune cookie post is born:
"regret only exists when one believes all options have been exhausted"
"regret only exists when one believes all options have been exhausted"
Oct 6, 2007
blogging bottleneck
You would think I have a lack of ideas and things to write about...it's quite the opposite...i have too much to say I don't know where to begin...
the 'value question' comes up a lot in what interests me...
I think that is something that is highlighted in what is going on in Britney Spear's life...she's struggling with what matters in her life...I feel sorry for her...here's an update...
I think she may have grown too much to identify with her idea of what or who Britney is...
I really like how Daniel Day Lewis stopped acting and went into cobbling shoes in Italy...he turned away from the system identity and carved out his own...
the 'value question' comes up a lot in what interests me...
I think that is something that is highlighted in what is going on in Britney Spear's life...she's struggling with what matters in her life...I feel sorry for her...here's an update...
I think she may have grown too much to identify with her idea of what or who Britney is...
I really like how Daniel Day Lewis stopped acting and went into cobbling shoes in Italy...he turned away from the system identity and carved out his own...
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